Have you ever met someone that you talked to for a minute and didn’t like? Then circumstances threw you together and you discovered that they were actually pretty nifty and you do like them, in fact you become good friends. The only thing in this scenario that changes is your perception of the person, well that and the circumstances that gave you the new perception.

Not all people we encounter will turn out to be our friends, sometimes our inner voice says ‘no way’ to someone and we truly need to listen to that instinct. However there are plenty of times when it isn’t our inner voice so much as our perception, we had a bad day, we don’t feel well and the person we are encountering is having their own kind of day and perhaps not communicating in a way that is comfortable for us and presto – eww we don’t like them.

Perception is different from our inner voice.

Perception involves many external and immediate factors of ourselves and how we are receiving others and our surroundings. What if you perceive yourself as trapped? Trapped by finances or a relationship or as often happens a combination of factors. You are completely sure that you have no avenue for being happy and healthy. Your perception is that you can’t change what is going on and you must endure.

Let’s look at this closer. First, time for some basic personal truth and that is…..you always have choices you just don’t like them all. Admitting that is a very good start to not feeling so trapped. Once you admit there are choices and you have made a choice you take back your power in the situation. Then instead of a trap it seems more like a moment in time to navigate.

Perhaps your choices are uncomfortable.

Do you work a job that seems absurd just to bring in even $60 a week to help out when you were earning $70k annually? Or you are facing a partner that doesn’t fulfill all your needs; do you suffer in silence for the rest of your life? Having choices does not mean the choices are easy, comfortable or pleasant. It does mean that you are taking responsibility for your life.

By working that $60 a week job you are changing your perception that you can’t help at all with finances, or that you aren’t worth anything. While $60 doesn’t go that far, it would buy the makings for mac n cheese or stuffed shells, both of which are meals for several days. By talking to your partner about your needs and admitting they aren’t being met you are treating both your partner and yourself as equals and showing respect. The relationship as it exists needs to change or end, but creating something new and positive for both is a very real outcome.

What if you are trapped physically?

Either by birth or by an accident. You could be hateful and guilt ridden that others must help you and care for you. You could spend your life physically trapped and emotionally bitter. What if you perceived things differently…that perhaps you had something else to offer the world aside from physical mobility. Look at Stephen Hawkings, he certainly offered the world quite a bit.

Do not misunderstand me.

In no way am I making light of being trapped in a body with severe limitations or in a financially devastating position or in a loving relationship that is falling short.

What I am saying is that our perception of the situations is based on our own history and baggage. When we can put that aside and look at things with a different or fresh perspective we often find the gift of healthy growth and change. When we admit our truth about it, we reclaim our power and that sets us free.

What if…

..that $60 a week job leads you to a whole new lucrative career that you never would have thought of? What if admitting you need something else in a relationship allows your partner to give you that something else you need? Or frees you to end a relationship with grace and a loving friendship still intact?
It seems to me that we are taught to suffer, to endure and that life is a struggle and that there is some big secret to making it all better

Spoiler alert!

The secret is that life is just what chose to make of it. If you chose to see things as hard, always out to get you, bad luck is your only luck then that is exactly what your life will be full of. If you chose to see the positive in everything, laugh more, be joyous then that is exactly what your life will be full of. The difficult events you experience will be the same either way, hardship happens; however you have the power to choose how you move through these events. Making hardships into growth or healing opportunities instead of just one more burden to endure.

No matter what analogy you pick it comes down to the very basic question of are you ready to consciously experience your life - to choose how you perceive your life and life events? The choice is yours to make every moment of every day; it always has been and it always will be.

What do you chose?

Author's Bio:

Samantha Martin is known as The Truth Revolutionary because she works with people to uncover their personal truth. Personal truth is a discovery which frees people to live up to their full potential and find new joy in their life and relationships. You can register for her Free Report “Fight Self-Deception, Dis-ease, Shame and Disillusionment: Become a Truth Revolutionary”, or sign up for a free consultation, read her blogs and find out more about Samantha at www.truthrevolutionary.com.